When's it out? Deadpool 2 and other blockbuster release dates for your diaries

We're not even midway through 2017 yet but we're looking ahead to 2018 and beyond, which are shaping up to be very exciting years for moviegoers. Here are the essential movies and their release dates that you need to take note of.

Deadpool 2

Released: 1st June 2018

The Merc With A Mouth rewrote the rules on comic book movies when, back in February 2016, his gleefully profane and violent solo movie went on to gross more than $700m worldwide. All the more noteworthy when one considers it was an adult-aimed, R-rated (15 over here) movie, one that helped pave the way for this March's uber-gory hit, Logan.

Little wonder Fox have greenlit a sequel, again starring Ryan Reynolds and with Men in Black 3 scene-stealer Josh Brolin featuring as comic favourite Cable. Can it hope to replicate the first movie's sense of naughtiness and reckless action?

The New Mutants

Released: 13th April 2018

X-Men: Apocalypse, lest we forget, picked up in 1983 with younger versions of iconic X-characters Cyclops, Jean Grey and Storm. In spite of the movie's mixed reviews it was clear that a new franchise was being maneuvered into place, one examining the younger mutant recruits from Charles Xavier's school.

It's being directed by The Fault In Our Stars director Josh Boone, already a dab hand at dealing with young angst, and will get us ready for blockbuster season when it's unleashed in April next year.

X-Men: Dark Phoenix

Released: 2nd November 2018

The transformation of Jean Grey into the all-powerful Phoenix took centre-stage in 2006's X-Men: The Last Stand, although few claimed to have been impressed by the final result. Can the mooted spin-off movie, initially known as Supernova, finally do justice to this most celebrated of X-Men storylines?

One thing's for sure, we're really excited to see Game of Thrones' Sophie Turner back in the role of young Jean - she was one of the standouts of X-Men: Apocalypse and, as the climactic battle of that movie proved, she can channel the rage and power of this character with aplomb. Rumours are that veteran X-Men writer Simon Kinberg will be stepping up to direct so watch this space.

Avatar 2 - 5

Released: 18th December 2020, 17th December 2021, 20th December 2014 and 19th December 2025

This one has been rolling on for a very, very long time but it finally seems like Avatar visionary James Cameron has locked in some kind of release pattern for his Pandoran opus.

The dates were announced on the official Facebook page and production is about to get underway with, amazingly, the movies being shot concurrently. Given the first Avatar was a game-changer in so many ways, not only because of its motion capture CGI effects but also its $2 billion gross at the global box office, expectations are sky-high for these new ones to succeed.

The signs are promising: Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana are back, the movies promise to explore more of the lush world of Pandora and the writing team includes Planet of the Apes scribes Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver. Plus, the colossus behind it all is Cameron himself, a man who has rewritten the rule-book on blockbusters more than most. How can it possibly go wrong?

Which of these movies are you most looking forward to? Let us know @Cineworld.